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The urban/suburban, lawnllandscaped areas within the project corridor provide habitat for urban wildlife species that have generally adapted to these conditions. Passerine birds, crows, gray squirrels, rabbits, and raccoons can typically be found in such cover. There will be a small net gain of this habitat type as a result of this project. This small increase in habitat will have little to no effect on wildlife in the project area. Most of the disturbed open space within the study area has been graded at least once and is used for temporary storage of trailers, pallets, etc. It is vegetated primarily by brome grass, goldenrods, various shrubby plants and cottonwood trees at varying stages of development. This disturbed open space supports the same type of wildlife as the urban/suburban lawn/landscaped areas described above. Some of this disturbed open space will be converted to development. Any wildlife displaced as a result of this redevelopment would move into the contiguous open space or adapt to the increased lawn/landscaped areas. The wetland habitat in the study area is linear in nature and limited to the fringes of a steep sided drainage ditch in the southeast part of the study area (see Figure 4). Due to the linear nature, adjacent steep sides and conveyance of stormwater, this wetland area provides little habitat value. This project is not expected to have any impact on wetland within the study area and therefore no impact on wildlife associated with this type of wetland. A review by the DNR Wildlife Specialist for the Metro area found that the study area has no valuable habitat or significant wildlife populations and that the proposed project is not likely to have an adverse affect on wildlife (Stradtmann, personal communication). b. Are there any state-listed endangered, threatened, or special-concern species; rare plant communities; colonial waterbird nesting colonies; native prairie or other rare habitat; or other sensitive ecological resources on or near the site? Yes --X- No If yes, describe the resource and how it would be affected by the project. Indicate if a site survey of the resources was conducted. Describe measures to be taken to minimize or avoid adverse impacts. Response: A search of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources's Natural Heritage Program (MNHP) database was conducted for the Twin Lakes Development Area, including a one mile radius surrounding the study area. According to the MNHP letter of response dated April I, 1997, "there are no known occurrences of rare species or natural features in the area searched" (Attachment E). In support, an EA W developed for the Centre Pointe Business Park contains a letter from Minnesota's Natural Heritage Program (MNHP) of the DNR, dated January 6, 1997. According to MNHP, there are no records or observations of any significant natural heritage features or Threatened or Endangered Species within one mile of that project, which is adjacent to the northwest portion of the Twin Lakes Study Area (Attachment F). #24397 8